Chess rook

Chess-rook

Chess-rook, (old fr. rok): the figure called 'rook' in the game of chess, from the Italian rocca, a tower or castle. The chess-rook is an ancient bearing, and of frequent occurrence. It is also in the arms of ZULEISTEIN termed a zule, and this is borne on an escutcheon surtout by the Earls of ROCHFORD.

Sire Richard de WALSINGHAM,--de goules a iij roks de argent--Roll, temp. ED. II.

Gules, three chess-rooks ermine--Simon le FITZ SYMON, Roll, temp. ED. I., Harl. MS. 6137.

Or, three chess-rooks gules--COLVILL.

Azure, a fesse between three chess-rooks or--BODENHAM, Hereford.

Gules, three zules argent; a label of three points of the last--ZULEISTEIN.

The charge is also borne by the families of MARSHALL, AOLUITE, OGILVIE, and ORROCK.